Bohannon vs Gesell

[iabcuda]

Was curious so I looked at Gesell's 30 game senior year stats & JBo thru 17 games.

Gesell avg 8.4 ppg in 30 min at 41.2% fg, 73% ft, 38% 3pt with 3.1 reb, 5.1 assists, 1.9 TO, 1.3 steals

JBo. avg 8.8 ppg in 27 min at 39.1% fg., 89% ft, 36% 3pt with 2.4 reb, 4.8 assists, 2.3 TO, .5 steals.

I did the math part. You guys do the B.S. part.....

 

[Hawkeyestate81]

MG was a solid player for us, JoBo has a ceiling that is light years beyond MG as a scorer and he is sufficient as a distributor as well.

 

[srams21]

I think Bohannon will end up being a better shooter than Gesell and better overall offensive player. He seems quicker and a better finisher than Mike was.

Defensively, Mike was very good. Obviously, Jordan is only a freshman so I expect this area to improve greatly. I do think in four years we will look back and say Jordan was a better overall player than Mike. We shall see though.

 

[DanL53]

Frosh Gesell avg. 8.7 ppg in 27.1 min at .403 fg, .794 ft, .317 3pt with 2.6 reb, 2.6 assists, 1.7 TO, 1.2 steals.

Should confuse things a bit more but to say each is comparable to the other.

 

[srams21]

Frosh Gesell avg. 8.7 ppg in 27.1 min at .403 fg, .794 ft, .317 3pt with 2.6 reb, 2.6 assists, 1.7 TO, 1.2 steals.

Should confuse things a bit more but to say each is comparable to the other.

Good information.

I think Gesell just wasn't a very good shooter. Jordan seems more of a natural in this area. That means defenders must respect him more out there, which gives him an opportunity to use his quickness and get into the lane.

Gesell was basically the same player all four years offensively. Like I said though, his defense was pretty darn good. Hopefully, Jordan can reach that level of defense.

 

[DanL53]

Mike had confidence issues that first season that Bohannon doesn't have. Later, Mike had that elbow injury that I think hurt his shot.

But mostly, in the scheme of things, the guys around you make a big difference to how you look. Especially for a point guard.

Just imagine the added assists if we'd have had some inside scoring during Mike's time? And more choices as to late clock shots than just handing the ball to Mike and saying good luck.

In the end, I think Bohannon will appear to be the better player but I think given the rosters around them Mike would be better than Mike was over this year and the next three as well.

 

[srams21]

Mike had confidence issues that first season that Bohannon doesn't have. Later, Mike had that elbow injury that I think hurt his shot.

But mostly, in the scheme of things, the guys around you make a big difference to how you look. Especially for a point guard.

Just imagine the added assists if we'd have had some inside scoring during Mike's time? And more choices as to late clock shots than just handing the ball to Mike and saying good luck.

In the end, I think Bohannon will appear to be the better player but I think given the rosters around them Mike would be better than Mike was over this year and the next three as well.

Mike had quite a roster around him the last two seasons. Different make-up but they went 12-6 two years in a row in BIG play. Many of Mike's assists came from simple perimeter passes to Uthoff and Jok who were great shooters. To my untrained eye, Jordan "creates" much more than Mike ever did. But, I agree that the roster around you helps quite a bit. I don't think talent is going to be an issue these next couple years

 

[Scott559]

I didn't feel very confident with MG on the line in late game scenarios, I hope Jordan can prove to be a more reliable asset in late game situations.

 

[DanL53]

Mike had quite a roster around him the last two seasons. Different make-up but they went 12-6 two years in a row in BIG play. Many of Mike's assists came from simple perimeter passes to Uthoff and Jok who were great shooters. To my untrained eye, Jordan "creates" much more than Mike ever did. But, I agree that the roster around you helps quite a bit. I don't think talent is going to be an issue these next couple years

You are so right about the last two years. Which I guess gives you a hint about what I think is coming in the future. 12-6? Haha hahahaha that was nice, but soon we feast.

 

[Mohawkeye]

I think Bohannon will end up being a better shooter than Gesell and better overall offensive player. He seems quicker and a better finisher than Mike was.

Defensively, Mike was very good. Obviously, Jordan is only a freshman so I expect this area to improve greatly. I do think in four years we will look back and say Jordan was a better overall player than Mike. We shall see though.

Odd how perceptions are because I think Gesell is quicker and a much better athlete, but I agree Bohannon finishes better and is a better shot. Agree that Gesell was the better defender. The thing with Mike is that his offensive skills, especially his 3 point shooting, seemed to dive his junior year after the elbow injury and never recovered. Bohannon has a quicker release and appears to have a little more range than Gesell, which I think helps him create openings to drive to the hoop - people play him tight and don't expect a drive. With Mike it was just the opposite, they could play off him and concentrate on keeping him from driving.

 

[ScoutRefugee]

I like Bohannon's offensive game much better than Gesells, even though Gesell got to the rim a little better. I like Gesell's defense better than Bohannons. I didn't think gesell was any better than a slightly below avg BIG PG anyway. It remains to be seen if Bohannon is better at the position but I think you'll see him and Connor share the responsibilities next year, with Bohannon running off screens for open looks more often.

 

[youflog1hawk]

As of now it looks as if Jbo will be a better shooter with range than Mike and his touch seems better at the basket. It will be very difficult for Jbo to ever get to be the defender Mike was. I might be proven wrong but mike was a good defender from the start and just got better.

 

[ScoutRefugee]

As of now it looks as if Jbo will be a better shooter with range than Mike and his touch seems better at the basket. It will be very difficult for Jbo to ever get to be the defender Mike was. I might be proven wrong but mike was a good defender from the start and just got better.

Bohannon doesn't use his left hand on the left side of the rim for a lay up. That drives me to drink! My 16 yr old can use his off hand for lay ups. Makes you wonder what his former coaches must be thinking, because you know he's done 1000 laft handed lay up drills.

 

[RocknRollface]

Gesell allot more athletic, JBO allot more offensively talented.

Gesell was solid, meaning he didnt make many mistakes but he didnt have the ability to make things happen.

Bohannon will turn the ball over more but he will make more things happen.

 

[RocknRollface]

Mike had confidence issues that first season that Bohannon doesn't have. Later, Mike had that elbow injury that I think hurt his shot.

But mostly, in the scheme of things, the guys around you make a big difference to how you look. Especially for a point guard.

Just imagine the added assists if we'd have had some inside scoring during Mike's time? And more choices as to late clock shots than just handing the ball to Mike and saying good luck.

In the end, I think Bohannon will appear to be the better player but I think given the rosters around them Mike would be better than Mike was over this year and the next three as well.

I agree somewhat but a pg makes the guys around him look better too.

A good pg gets a guy like Woody a bunch of easy looks that he can make.

 

[RocknRollface]

Odd how perceptions are because I think Gesell is quicker and a much better athlete, but I agree Bohannon finishes better and is a better shot. Agree that Gesell was the better defender. The thing with Mike is that his offensive skills, especially his 3 point shooting, seemed to dive his junior year after the elbow injury and never recovered. Bohannon has a quicker release and appears to have a little more range than Gesell, which I think helps him create openings to drive to the hoop - people play him tight and don't expect a drive. With Mike it was just the opposite, they could play off him and concentrate on keeping him from driving.

I said this the last two years, MG didnt struggle for lack of athleticism, he just didnt have much "game."

He couldnt "operate" in the lane, which is where the good pgs make things happen. He would usually b line straight to the hoop and you just cannot do that at that size.

You have to be able to fool the defense, keep your dribble and make them react first. Bohannon is much better at this.

 

[mazda1]

I think the stats are influenced by partial seasons. I'm not going to do the work, but my guess is Mike's numbers might look better 4 games into league play.

I do like J Bo's potential to contibute and have no issues in supporting him. However, II do wish we had a quicker and better defender at the point.

 

[unIowa]

MG was a solid player for us, JoBo has a ceiling that is light years beyond MG as a scorer and he is sufficient as a distributor as well.

I didn't think this at first but JoBo has me coming around. He is even starting to look quicker on the court so it must mean the game is slowing down for him which is great news. He will never be quite the athlete that MG was HOWEVER it appears, at least early on, that he will have as much of if not more of a significant impact on the program.

 

[unIowa]

I think Bohannon will end up being a better shooter than Gesell and better overall offensive player. He seems quicker and a better finisher than Mike was.

Defensively, Mike was very good. Obviously, Jordan is only a freshman so I expect this area to improve greatly. I do think in four years we will look back and say Jordan was a better overall player than Mike. We shall see though.

The only thing I disagree with is that JoBo is a better finisher or quicker than MG. In comparison Mike is the superior athlete in leaping and quickness and I don't think that will change however I think Jordan ends up the better overall basketball player than Mike if only for his superior shooting.

 

[srams21]

The only thing I disagree with is that JoBo is a better finisher or quicker than MG. In comparison Mike is the superior athlete in leaping and quickness and I don't think that will change however I think Jordan ends up the better overall basketball player than Mike if only for his superior shooting.

Fair enough. I just don't recall Mike getting past many defenders on a consistent basis and I certainly remember him having many issues finishing around the hoop. However, Mike's shooting issues meant many defenders simply lagged off him a couple feet without worry. They won't be able to do that with Bohannon.

 

[Suterman]

Jordan is a much better shooter than Mike and at this point, Mike was a much better defender than Jordan. Jordan is money on the line at the end of games (mostly) which Mike was not. Mike was one of the all time leading assist leaders at Iowa, if Jordan can do the same we are in for a treat.

 

[RSCookie222]

The book on Mike was pretty simple, get physical with him, recover back to the lane and make him score to beat you. If you look back last year, early in the year when teams would collapse on Mike we were great. He would make the right play and find shooters who could knock down shots. During our late season swoon, teams hugged Uthoff and Jok and dared Mike to beat them. Mike was a great Hawk, just limited offensively. JBo is already a better shooter and has shown a better ability to finish at the rim. Continue to surround him with athletes and shooters and JBo will finish with a better career.

 

[HawkLogic]

Gesell allot more athletic, JBO allot more offensively talented.

Gesell was solid, meaning he didnt make many mistakes but he didnt have the ability to make things happen.

Bohannon will turn the ball over more but he will make more things happen.

Gesell could jump pretty well but wasn't a speed burner. Lot more athletic is someone like Glynn Watson at Nebraska. Gesell, Bohannon, Jeff Horner...more or less about same athleticism after adjusting for fact Horner had much better size.

Bohannon is a much better 3pt shooter and FT shooter, much tougher mentally based on what I have seen than Gesell.

Gesell career 31.1% from 3pt line and 72% from foul line. I Would be interesting number to know how many times he had ball in in hands to win or tie games and he either turned it over, got his shot swatted, missed the FT or shot an air ball.

 

[Hawkeyestate81]

I didn't think this at first but JoBo has me coming around. He is even starting to look quicker on the court so it must mean the game is slowing down for him which is great news. He will never be quite the athlete that MG was HOWEVER it appears, at least early on, that he will have as much of if not more of a significant impact on the program.

Agree, we all knew he could shoot but his game has really impressed me, quickness, court awareness, ball distribution and he hasn't been a huge liability on defense. Not bad for a true freshman. Sky is the limit and he surely has the work ethic and drive to get better, going to be a fun ride with him at PG.

 

[hawksense]

I feel for Mike Gesell. He had a tough career with people expecting more from him than he was capable. I didn't expect a lot of growth in his senior year because he was what he was and I accepted that.

Bohannon could fall into the same trap. People adore him until they don't see something new from him. "He does the same thing every time!" could be in his future.

Comparing the two is apples and oranges. They're very different players that played the same position.

 

[hawkeye122671]

Frosh Gesell avg. 8.7 ppg in 27.1 min at .403 fg, .794 ft, .317 3pt with 2.6 reb, 2.6 assists, 1.7 TO, 1.2 steals.

Should confuse things a bit more but to say each is comparable to the other.

That makes this comparison tough. Mike was seemingly best his freshmen year in regards to shooting. He the regressed as a shooter, ft shooter and was never clutch. A great defender and good distributor but consistently shit himself when it was crunch time. Jbo for me.

 

[twindman]

A couple of things. Is my memory wrong, or didn't Mike G improve his defense a ton in 4 years. I kind of remember guards blowing by him his first 2 years. Right??
Also, I don't remember Mike G dunking much if at all his first couple of years. Finally his SR year he was getting up there. JoBo has already dunked, I believe so he may already be ahead there.

 

[RocknRollface]

Gesell could jump pretty well but wasn't a speed burner. Lot more athletic is someone like Glynn Watson at Nebraska. Gesell, Bohannon, Jeff Horner...more or less about same athleticism after adjusting for fact Horner had much better size.

Bohannon is a much better 3pt shooter and FT shooter, much tougher mentally based on what I have seen than Gesell.

Gesell career 31.1% from 3pt line and 72% from foul line. I Would be interesting number to know how many times he had ball in in hands to win or tie games and he either turned it over, got his shot swatted, missed the FT or shot an air ball.

Dissagree, Mike had the highest vertical on the team other than the years he played with May.

Go watch some of the dunks he did durring the team dunk contests. Theyre probably on youtube somewhere.

Mike was way more athletic than Horner or JBO, if you take athleticism to mean explosiveness and speed.

Athleticism doesnt make one a good basketball player. It can help but if you dont have the handle, the shot and the instincts it doesnt matter.

 

[The Sleeping Dog]

Mike was a disaster in the crunch. Its pretty obvious Bohannon has the better overall game and particularly late in close games. We're comparing Bohannon's 17 game career with Mike's 4 year career. The intangibles of defense and floor management come along and I think you'll see Bohannon equal or exceed Mike's quality when Bohannon's career is finished.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I think the stats are influenced by partial seasons. I'm not going to do the work, but my guess is Mike's numbers might look better 4 games into league play.

I do like J Bo's potential to contibute and have no issues in supporting him. However, II do wish we had a quicker and better defender at the point.

On the right track. Gesells includes the entire conference season.

 

[24 so far]

Jordan is a much better shooter than Mike and at this point, Mike was a much better defender than Jordan. Jordan is money on the line at the end of games (mostly) which Mike was not. Mike was one of the all time leading assist leaders at Iowa, if Jordan can do the same we are in for a treat.

The free throws at the end of games is HUGE for a point guard, and Jordan doesn't seem to lack confidence in stepping to the line and knocking them down. He also doesn't appear afraid to take a big shot if someone needs to, something I don't think Mike G. was ever comfortable with. Neither is your ideal point guard, but both guys do/did some good things.

 

[EastPennHawk]

Dang, the OP beat me to this. Good post.

And the quote below kind of sums up my thoughts, although I have to say what no one else has said. Bohannon has that killer instinct that you always hate to go up against. No fear. Gesell, not so much. Maybe it was a confidence thing for Gesell, or a personality thing. Regardless, Bohannon is going to be a very good PG for us going forward. He will annoy the crap out of other B1G fans for years to come. And that's awesome.

Bohannon is a much better 3pt shooter and FT shooter, much tougher mentally based on what I have seen than Gesell.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Bohannon doesn't use his left hand on the left side of the rim for a lay up. That drives me to drink! My 16 yr old can use his off hand for lay ups. Makes you wonder what his former coaches must be thinking, because you know he's done 1000 laft handed lay up drills.

You don't watch much basketball do you

 

[ScoutRefugee]

You don't watch much basketball do you

STFU.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

J Bo is a better and much more willing shooter. Mike is more athletic and a better defender. Mike had a better career than many suggest, if you consider he was the PG on the most winning Iowa teams in the past couple of decades. I like that J Bo plays with an attitude, and think he will get better as he gets stronger and more experienced.

 

[unoHawkeye]

Gesell's driving ability was overrated IMO because 1) He was a bad finisher, despite some memorable makes (UNC comes to mind, as does the dunk against Northwestern(?)) and 2) He was an average free throw shooter. He had his strengths (defense, facilitating), but his skill set was better suited for a backup PG. He's somebody who would be able to come off the bench, not turn the ball over, and play solid defense.

Bohannon lacks Gesell's defensive ability (although he's a smart enough player, that I imagine he'll overcome his physical deficiencies sooner rather than later), but is significantly better than Gesell at everything offensively, outside of not turning the ball over. He's a better shooter, has better handles, shares MG's ability to get into the lane, but can make contested layups and knock down free throws.

Keep in mind that most of us are comparing freshman JB to senior year Gesell. That's a three year gap between the two. I appreciate everything Mike did for Iowa over his four years, including being the floor general during Iowa's transition and helping get us back to national relevance. That said, I'm really glad we've got Jordan for 3.5 more years.

 

[Herkmeister]

Freshman vs. Senior

That says it all and I like them both. But in 4 years Jobo will be more highly regarded IMHO.

 

[HeRKeYHoPeFuL]

Gesell could jump pretty well but wasn't a speed burner. Lot more athletic is someone like Glynn Watson at Nebraska. Gesell, Bohannon, Jeff Horner...more or less about same athleticism after adjusting for fact Horner had much better size.

Bohannon is a much better 3pt shooter and FT shooter, much tougher mentally based on what I have seen than Gesell.

Gesell career 31.1% from 3pt line and 72% from foul line. I Would be interesting number to know how many times he had ball in in hands to win or tie games and he either turned it over, got his shot swatted, missed the FT or shot an air ball.

To be fair... we won an NCAA game on one of his airballs.

I think Mike is a measurably better athlete than Bohannon, but Bohannon shoots so much better that opposing guards can't sag off him. This makes it seem like Bohannon is more athletic as he "blows by" people who are focused on taking away his three point shot. Did anyone ever focus on that for Gesell or did they stay back expecting a drive...?

 

[Lamoni]

I remember really liking Gesell as a Freshman as well and then the confidence issues came along... We will see. I really like Bohannon though.

 

[Suterman]

Mike's career was also marred by 2 fairly significant injuries. He had the stress reaction in his foot that really slowed him down, and then he had the shoulder injury which really affected his outside shooting and his confidence. All in all, Mike was a great asset and a great Hawkeye, Jordan is too.